Az Eszterházy Károly Tanárképző Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei. 1991. British and American Philologycal Studies (Acta Academiae Paedagogicae Agriensis : Nova series ; Tom. 20)

Lehel Vadon: Roger Williams' Principle of "A Free Church in a Free State" in Hungary

11 LEHEL VADON ROGER WILLIAMS' PRINCIPLE OF "A FREE CHURCH IN A FREE STATE" IN HUNGARY Mihály Horváth (1809—1878), the eminent Hungarian historian from the Reformist Era, whose historical writings were both pioneering and remain vital source materials right up to the present day, when investigating the moral and intellectual development of our nation and the freedoms of conscience, thought and speech, as well as the relationsliip between church and state arrived at the great principle of "a free church in a free state", which had been borrowed from the "society of the Federal North American States" and is linked to the name of Roger Williams, * the ardent-spirited, the piously zealous and indomitable clergyman, the first to launch this great new principle. The state founder and religious reformer Roger Williams (1603—1683) arrived in the New World in 1631, 11 years after the passengers of the Mayflower had set foot on American soil and 7 years after the first Puritan settlers came in search of a New Sion and New Israel. The popular and uncompromising pastor came into conflict with the Puritan theocracy due to his democratic principles and was forced as a result to leave Massachusetts. In 1636 he became the founder of Rhode Island and the town of Providence, where the clergyman accepting the principle of equality of the English levellers, and himself tending towards Baptism opened up his estate to "those of all consciences": Anglicans, Catholics and Jews ensuring the perfect balance of thought and its practical realization. In his new state and parish, he practiced religious tolerance and created a pure, perfect democracy, in wliich complete power was given to the people. The enlightened and liberal prelate and politician Mihály Horváth studied in his numerous articles and books the history of religion, and while examining the churchstate relationship, accepted Roger Williams' model state both from a religious and political point of view, and considered it of exemplary value to the societies of Hungary and Europe in general. Horváth's study on Roger Williams was the first book, and the first scholarly monograph to be written on an American author in the history of American Studies in Hungary. Mihály Horváth, in his carefully edited and comprehensive study followed the "conflict-ridden life of the educated, active and zealous Williams", right from his arrival in the New World, his struggle with the Puritan theocracy, his exile, his founding of